American Made Rods

The last rod from the previous page has been carried over here to give a sense of continuity to the progression. Where possible these rods have been listed in a vaguely chronological order.

More Early Production Rods

Length

10'

Sections

3/2

Material

Calcutta Cane

Maker

J G Landman

Retailer

Abbey & Imbrie

Model

"Best Eight Strip"

Accessories

Formfit

Notes

R0081

J G Landman was, like Mitchell, one of a group of rod makers who were active in New York at around the turn of the twentieth century. In addition to supplying components to other makers, Landman produced rods for a number of sellers including Abbey and Imbrie. The rod can be identified as Landman through the use of red brass moisture dams on the male ferrules. The Pritchard patent reel seat is also a good indicator though Pritchard's patent was actually ceded to Abbey & Imbrie. Landman patented his own reel seat in 1890. This rod is also interesting for having a butt and mid section of eight strip construction with six-strip tips. The rod has been refinished and "modernised" with snake guides, though the second tip retains some of the original drop-ring guides.

Length

10'

Sections

3/2

Material

Calcutta Cane

Maker

Chubb

Retailer

Model

Accessories

Formfit

Notes

R0058

Another rod for which the original formfit has survived. Having said that, both tips are short and there is substantial evidence to suggest that the guides have been replaced. Despite these shortcomings, it is still an early example - note another example of a long butt cap. Another nice feature is the swelled butt. This was the first "early" rod to be acquired and has been left in "as found" condition.

Length

9'

Sections

3/2

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

Montague City Rod Company

Retailer

Model

Accessories

Formfit and bag

Notes

R0068

In 1891 Thomas Chubb's Post Mills, Vermont operation was acquired by the Montague City Rod Company (as it was known at the time), who continued to use the component range that Chubb had been supplying for so many years so for some time there is always the question of whether a rod was made by Chubb, by Montague with Chubb components, or by a third party using Chubb components. This one is by Montague. A Cedar mortised butt, with English twist snake guides and an elaborate pattern of intermediate whippings suggest this was at least a mid priced rod. There are plans for this rod to be restored, - new pictures will be posted once the work is done.

Length

9'

Sections

3/2

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

Montague City Rod Company

Retailer

William Read and Son, Boston

Model

Accessories

Formfit and bag

Notes

R0054

Following on from the previous rod, this too is a mid range Montague. In this case a trade rod for William Read and Son of Boston, Massachusetts. Read's were a sports outfitters dealing in a wide range of sporting goods, guns and fishing tackle. The shop is recommended in William Henry Harrison "Adirondack" Murray's extraordinary book on the outdoors, "Adventures in the Wilderness" of 1869. By 1896 the firm was at premises in Washington St., as indicated on the reel seat. Blue velvet fabric on the formfit is often associated with Montague rods.

Length

8' 6"

Sections

3/2

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

Montague Rod and Reel Company

Retailer

Model

Lightweight Mid Grade

Accessories

Formfit

Notes

R0060

With this rod there is no ambiguity about the maker. It is a Montague Lightweight Mid-grade rod in remarkably good condition. This particular rod surfaced in Ireland and was the subject of quite a long online discussion. The quality and colour of the whipping scheme certainly make for a very attractive rod.

Length

9'

Sections

3/2

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

Horrocks Ibbotson

Retailer

Model

Accessories

Tip case

Notes

R0059

Although Montague went on to produce more rods in more grades than any other maker, Horrocks Ibbotson took the prize as the biggest manufacturer of fishing goods. They produced rods of every grade, the finest sporting nickel silver fittings, the cheapest being put up in paper bags. One of the distinguishing features of HI rods is the conical winding check. Compare this to the winding checks of Montague rods that tend to be bell shaped or stepped.

Length

10'

Sections

3/2

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

Chubb/Montague City Rod Co

Retailer

Model

Accessories

Formfit and bag

Notes

R0053

This rod may possibly be earlier than some of the others illustrated here, although likely again to be a Chubb/Montague product. Whereas the other rods featured here have had snake guides, this rod has two turn spiral wire guides. The reel seat is the Chubb patent, winding check also follows a Chubb/Montague profile and the rod is put up in a blue velvet covered formfit. The guides are the subject of a patent issued in 1889 to J C Parker in respect of Guides for Fishing Rods. You can download the complete patent as a pdf from the link on the left.

No analysis of this period could be considered complete without some mention of Hiram Leonard. Rightly or wrongly, Leonard is so often regarded as the father of the split cane fly rod. This is something of a token example as both mid and tip sections are short. Similarly the reel seat has seen some rough treatment. The use of drop ring guides is interesting, but not necessarily a sign of great age as these were apparently available as an option until the 1920's. The makers stamp is the second version employed on rods made from 1883, after the move to Central Valley and was in use until 1924.

Length

10'

Sections

5/1

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

WPoss. Montague Rod and Reel Co.

Retailer

Model

Accessories

Butt spear

Notes

R0082

This is a 10' 5/1 so-called "bicycle rod" possibly by the Montague Rod and Reel Company, at one time the biggest manufacturer of fishing tackle in the world. Many many rods of the early 20th century are ascribed to Montague, - particular evidence here is the winding check . What makes this rod unusual is the extended butt cap which has a threaded socket similar to those seen on British made rods and came supplied with a butt spear.

Length

10'

Sections

5/2

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

Montague City Rod Co

Retailer

Model

Accessories

Original bag

Notes

R0061

Compare the previous rod with this. Another 10' but 5/2, retaining both tips. Again this is of the "bicycle rod" pattern and this rod has also retained its original sock. The winding check, signature wraps and reel seat all suggest that this is another Montague rod. What is interesting about both of these rods is that this particular configuration only seems to show up here in the UK. "Pack rods" seem to be the closest equivalent in the USA, but these typically break into even smaller sections, often with a detachable handle. Is it possible that these rods were made specifically for the UK market? If this is so, it would go a long way to explaining the butt spear and threaded butt cap on the previous rod...

Understanding Imports of Cane Rods

One important fact about all the rods included here is that they were all sourced in the UK. Some clearly were personal imports, but the preponderance of Montague/Chubb rods, put up in formfits is not limited to WVFFM. These rods turn up for sale here often enough. Apparently they were considered relatively commonplace in the secondhand sections of some of the older Edinburgh tackle shops. We know Robertson's of Glasgow were selling American made cane rods in the 1890's:

This advert appeared in the end matter of Hamish Stuart's "Loch and Loch Fishing" published in 1899. "American Cane Built Rods" surely refers to split cane rods of the type we have been discussing. Perhaps the evidence to confirm this conjecture is this:

This handbill was pasted onto a page of William Robertson's very own day book. Not only does it identify Thos. Chubb as a supplier of split cane rods to the UK, it also gives us a specific description:

"These Rods are three Joint, have two Tops, Silk Ringed and Lapped, Hand Grasp wound with Cane, Metal Reel Seat, Metal Stoppers and put up in a Groved Wood Form"

This describes nearly all the formfitted rods listed here.

William Millar is listed in the 1887-88 Forfarshire Trades Directory , in the entry under Dundee, as a Fishing Tackle Maker, with the Drill Hall as his Business Address.

At about the same time, Fosters of Ashbourne were advertising American made rods from Malleson, one of the Brooklyn , NY makers mentioned above.

Length

9'

Sections

3/2

Material

Tonkin Cane

Maker

Horrocks Ibbotson

Retailer

Model

Accessories

Notes

R0052

Another Horrocks Ibbotson rod. The only mark on this rod is the simple legend, "Made in USA" but the wraps and conical winding check are strongly suggestive of a HI product. Ironically this rod was purchased in Dundee, the very town in which Thomas Chubb's agent had begun importing and brokering American bamboo in the 1880's.